(Free) Fall For You
by CappuccettoRosso
Summary: Shin, Kumiko, a bridge and a fall...its love, people! A response to Dove Drabbles' Monthly Challenge.


**(Free) Fall For You**

_CappuccettoRosso_

**Beta**: None

**Universe**: Manga

**Pairing(s)**: Sawada Shin/Yamaguchi Kumiko

**Rating:** PG-13

**Warning(s):** Mild Adult Language

**Disclaimer:** Gokusen is the intellectual property of Kozueko Morimoto, and its publisher _Shueisha_. I am only borrowing the characters for my own amusement. No profit is being made in the publishing of this story.

**Author's Note**: Written for LiveJounal comm Dove_Drabbles, Prompt #1: "Enjoy life. It is the greatest gift"

Also, I have never been bungee jumping. All my information is second hand and from what I gathered online. If anything is not right or correct, then please, forgive me for my ignorance. It was not intentional. The _Tone-gawa_ is an actual rive in Japan, rated a Class IV on the International Scale of River Difficulty. The bridge there in an authentic bungee jumping site.

_Summary: Shin, Kumiko, a bridge, and a fall…its love, people!_

* * *

"I'm not above kicking you."

"Ha! I would like to see you try." The words were said weakly and failed to sound daring.

Shin eyed his companion with amusement. Usually, Kumiko was all for tackling a challenge head on, fervently. Now, she visibly faltered. Shin relished the rare sight, knowing he would not see it again, or for very long.

Of course, there was reason to hesitate. Shin looked down, forty meters down, to the rushing river below. The _Tone-gawa_ looked fierce enough to drown him and carry off his body out to the ocean, where an old fisherman in a rickety boat would most likely fish him out.

"This is a stupid idea."

"Too late now," Shin said. He touched one of her fists. "Besides, it's your fault for not being simple."

"Like those bitches back there." Kumiko said gruffly; those 'bitches' being the group of college girls that had arrived in a charter bus. Last he remembered, they were tittering amongst themselves as they peeked over the railing, occasionally, bursting into piercing squeals as they scared each other. "You want me to be more like them?"

Shin grimaced. "I'll probably throw myself over a cliff."

Kumiko grinned; the expression vanished as she looked down again. Shin sighed silently.

Dating Kumiko was a challenge, mostly because the usual romantic gestures did not work on her: flowers made her sneeze; Kumiko did not have a sweet tooth so chocolates were a bust, too; and fuzzy teddy bears made her glare instead of dewy-eyed. Shin tried a candle-lit dinner once. That only served to make Kumiko painfully self-conscious, making the date awkward rather than romantic.

Still, quitting early was not his thing. So, changing tactics, he went for tickets to wrestling matches and sumo fights. He took her indoor rock climbing, and one memorable outing, dirt-bike riding, which ended in him skidding into an embankment and nursing a large bruise on the back of his thigh for days.

Not his greatest moments, sure; but Shin would not trade that moment for anything. She had looked so beautiful, her face flushed with so much obvious pleasure, even if that enjoyment had come from mocking his skills on a bike.

This time, he invited her out to Gunma, to the Minakami Bridge, to go bungee jumping. At first, Kumiko was game. Now, she was obviously re-thinking her decision.

It was not on, naturally.

Shin rolled his eyes. "Kumiko-san, you are going to stop acting like a scared little girl. Leave that to those silly, little things," he pointed at the college girls, "you're Kumiko-Oujo, and my girl, and you are going to jump off this bridge.

"Besides," he continued, his voice dropping into a dangerous burr, "if you don't, I'm gonna tell everyone back at the house how much of a chicken shit you were."

Kumiko was immediately in his face, the threat to her pride making her forget all about her fear. "What you say…?"

Shin did not flinch and said softly, "You heard me."

Kumiko's nostrils flared. "Those are fighting words, Sawada. I'm going to make you regret saying them." Sawada smiled coolly back; he was glad to see his deadly-eyed Yakuza girlfriend, again.

"Bring it," he said casually and nodded at the attendant, who immediately triple checked their harnesses and bungee rope.

"Alright, you two," the guy in charge said, his bleached blonde hair falling into his unnaturally tanned face, "remember, jump as far as you can and try to keep your body as loose as possible, yeah?"

They both nodded and shuffled awkward to the edge of the platform. They would jump together and if things went south, maybe die together. Shin smiled grimly at his own humor. Kumiko watched him with wide eyes. There was excitement there now, overpowering the fear as the count down started.

"FOUR!"

Shin felt his hands shaking, his heart picking up speed as his adrenaline spiked. He found himself smiling widely, and Kumiko grinned along with him

"THREE!"

"If the rope snaps, I'm using you to break my fall," Kumkio said almost cheerfully.

"TWO!"

"I'll come back and haunt you."

"ONE! GO!"

Neither hesitated and they found themselves jumping, as if trying to reach an invisible ledge and not quite making it. The full power of Earth's gravity latched onto them immediately and pulled them faster than Shin thought possible. The river came at them quickly, that Shin could already feel the full body impact as he crashed into the water.

Distantly, he heard someone screaming. It was Kumiko, and surprisingly, he was screaming right along with her.

He had never felt more alive than in that moment.

He had never felt more in love with the woman in his arms.

The white waters were suddenly there, so close he could reach out and touch it. His body jerked instinctively, feeling the crash that never came as the bungee rope reached its limit and hauled them upwards.

Kumiko laughed clearly and openly as they flew toward the sky.

"I love you, Shin!" she said breathlessly.

Shin reached out and kissed her. It was perfect, even upside down.

END


End file.
